A few blocks away and apparently out of danger, Archie empties the bag. Out falls a grey wig (which accounts for Lowlifes' change in appearance), a money bag full of tightly wrapped $100 bills and many more wads of notes. Monte and Archie are taken aback; this is bigger then they expected.

Monte, making a swift recovery from the adrenaline overdose (naturally this little skirmish is peanuts compared with what he's used to), fills in the gaps.

Back in the hotel, Monte and Archie had their ears sealed to the door when a cleaner walked past. Ahem. Monte, one imagined, assumed as much as hauteur muttered something about losing one's keys.

The PIs had heard what they needed to know. The Melbourne businessmen were interested in Lowlife's goods, which included much more valuable material than Monte's client had imagined: software discs aswell as the photocopied information. They paid up.

Suddenly the door opened. Archie scarped down the fire escape and Monte tried to look dignified by using the lifts. They hadn't caught sight of the Melbourne connection.

On to the dosshouse. Monte reckoned it was a shooting gallery. Lowlife had let himself in. When Monte and Archie confronted him, Lowlife was looking through pickings. Our intrepid duo, in no time at all, persuaded him he would be better off without them and the bikies didn't bat an eyelid.

Monte contacts the office on the walkie-talkie and talks in code. A new team of his agents must be dispatched to the cross to watch L7, room alpha alpha zero.

And that's it for Good Weekend although the assignment is incomplete. Monte has more important matters to attend to such as buying his son's school uniform. He's leaving the rest of the action to his sidekicks.

Monte's men, he tells me later, had to book into the hotel. They eventually forced the issue, under instructions. After threatening to call the police over receiving stolen goods, the Melbourne connection swapped the material for the money (only $20,000 as it turns out). "We take it there had been a few threats and stand over tactics from (Lowlife's) boss," Monte said.

If Lowlife is only the courier, do we assume his boss is the owner of the brothel? Monte says firmly it would be most unhealthy to make inquiries.

"There were a few moments that day when people could have been shot."

I wonder whether Good Weekend is on Lowlife's reading list?